Everything You Wanted to Know About Live Dealers
We’re used to playing live dealer games and chatting with the dealers, but have you ever wondered who are live game presenters? And what does it take to become one?
BestCasinos investigates and brings the whole shooting match straight to you. See how to become a live game presenter and work at live online casinos. See what’s in the job description, roles, and more below!
Who Are Live Game Presenters?
First things first: who are live dealers?
Live casino fans are already familiar with the concept of live dealers. Live dealers are casino employees standing at the table whose live stream you are watching. They make the ‘live’ part of ‘live casino gambling,’ as they represent the main constituent of an experience that’s not only RNG and digital, but rather includes something real.
Live dealers are sometimes also called:
- Live game presenters
- Game hosts
- Casino hosts
- Live casino managers
- Table hosts
- Poker/blackjack/roulette hosts
- Card dealers
- Croupiers
These are just some of the titles you’ll hear at online gambling sites while playing live dealer games for real money. It mostly matters not how you specifically call them – although dealer, presenter, and host are optimal – but rather what their function is. Depending on the game you are playing, the role of the live game presenters may vary, but the core remains the same. Dealers are there to host the game, keep the players entertained, and act as the croupier for the table.
What Is the Role of Live Dealers?
Live game presenters or live dealers host live dealer games. Depending on the type of game – be it blackjack, roulette, baccarat, or poker – the dealer stands at the table and monitors the game. In roulette, it is the dealer’s job to spin the roulette wheel, while in card games, they deal cards.
Live roulette tables have only one game presenter whose main task is to spin the wheel and announce the game outcome. Something similar happens with dice games such as Sic Bo – the croupier has no physical role as dice roll via automatic dice shakers. The only thing that the host can do is announce the sum of the roll and that is it.
Classic casino games such as poker, blackjack, and baccarat are card games, which means the dealer plays a key role in dealing cards. The shuffling is done automatically, but the host distributes the cards and deals them during the rounds.
An interesting example is the live game show type which belongs to a special game category. No two live game shows are the same, and so the role of the dealer is emphasised in hosting such live gambling shows.
Game presenters are employed by the companies making the games, and they host a variety of gambling games in real-time. A dealer typically works at one table, but they sometimes can switch tables and work on other games.
What Games Live Dealers Host?
The live casino sector is expanding by the minute, so there’s always a new game to see in the live gambling section of the casino. New tables are added monthly, and abundance is never an issue. But what types of games can you find in the live casino sector? And what games are hosted by the live dealers?
The answer is – anything you want. Game presenters host all types of gambling games found at online live casinos, including
- Live roulette
- Live blackjack
- Andar Bahar
- Live poker
- Live baccarat
- Sic Bo
- Teen Patti
- Live craps
- Live game shows
Out of all live casino game categories, the most interesting is the live game show department. Live game shows are a hybrid category of gambling games that combine casino and reality TV games. The most popular examples are Deal or No Deal Live, Mega Ball, Crazy Time, Monopoly Live, and Dream Catcher. Of course, these are just some of the games you’ll find in this section of the live lobby as live game shows are becoming more and more popular each year. World-class game creators such as Evolution, Pragmatic Play, and Playtech have dozens of live game shows offering unique gambling experiences. However, it’s not easy to describe what live game hosts do in those games as the nature of each game is different and unique.
What Are the Requirements for Becoming a Live Dealer?
What does it take to become a live game host? Do you need special training, or a unique skill set to work at gambling tables?
It’s not easy to become a game presenter. Live casino dealers are employed either by casinos or the gaming companies that make the games. Here are some of the main requirements that you must fulfil to get a job as a live casino dealer.
- The age requirement
- Work experience
- Education
- Additional skills
Let’s discuss the requirements a bit more.
Age
Age is the first requirement you must meet to get a job as a game presenter. Most companies employing live dealers require that the candidates be older than 21. This is especially true for US online casinos, but it may also be a requirement for aspiring croupiers in European countries and Canada. In general, no company will employ dealers that are younger than 18 or, in some cases, 19.
Work Experience
Previous work experience is always a good thing, but not all candidates possess previous work experience as game presenters. Moreover, as dealers are mainly young people, they sometimes lack any kind of work experience, which might make it tougher for them to get a job. Luckily for them, big companies such as Evolution offer work to candidates who have no work experience at all. That means that you don’t have to be a professional presenter to land a job at Evolution, one of the biggest companies in the live gaming sector right now.
In most cases, you will be provided with the necessary training before you start working as a dealer, so there is no need to be well-versed before applying for the job. You only have to meet the age requirement and possess additional skills.
Education
A question that often arises on live gaming forums is whether the dealers need to have special education. The answer is no, there is no need to get special education or a university degree to apply for a job as a live game host.
Additional Skills
This is perhaps the most important part, besides the age requirement. So, we’ve already established that you do not need special training, degree, or certificate to work as a game presenter, nor do you need previous work experience. What you do need is to meet the age requirement (18+) and certain skills, such as language proficiency (English or otherwise stated).
The companies that employ game hosts will state if they require extra skills, but that is rare. The only skill that every single job offer for game presenters includes is language, and it’s related to English in most cases. Custom dedicated tables for special markets such as Germany, Sweden, and other countries may include a variety of tables adjusted to fit the needs of local players. That means the tables may need a German-speaking host, or someone who speaks Swedish, Spanish, Portuguese, or any other language that is spoken in the country.
Do You Need Any Degree to Be a Casino Dealer?
Education is an important element of every job hunt. Most professions have active requirements in terms of the type and level of education, which means you have to study and work hard to be able to get a job in the profession you like.
When it comes to the gambling industry, the situation is the same. It’s a budding industry, which means the borders of iGaming are continuously expanding to include a variety of new positions and work opportunities. Live game presenters, as the key components linking the content with the players in person, are a sought-after position at many casinos and gaming companies.
However, the level of education that is required for the casino dealers depends on the employer (the casino or software company). In most cases, however, aspiring game presenters are not required to have any kind of university degree or higher. They may have to have a high school diploma, but that again depends on the employer.
The same thing applies to previous experience. Most companies look for inexperienced candidates as they provide the necessary training. It’s a hierarchy, which means higher-ranked dealers have a lot of experience and probably must have a degree if they plan on moving up the ranks. However, for a newbie who is looking to enter the industry for the first time, it’s possible to find a company that looks for inexperienced candidates. You don’t have to have previous knowledge or experience in dealing cards or other casino game hosting to enter a company such as Evolution, Pragmatic Play, and similar.
What Does a Typical Day in the Life of a Game Host Look Like?
Dealers are working hard, guys. The job might sound like an easy one – it all boils down to chat with players and dealing cards, after all – but it’s anything but. Game presenters must be physically ready to stand at the table in front of the cameras for seven or eight hours. Moreover, live tables are open 24/7, which means there are three shifts.
So, a typical workday for a game presenter starts by coming to the studio. The dealers put on their uniforms – all tables have a specific dress code that fits the aesthetic of the studio – and head to their table to take over the shift from their colleagues. When they join the table, they announce that they are taking over and greet players who are currently playing the game. They then proceed with work: deal cards if it’s a card game, spin the roulette wheel, or chat with players (if they are hosting a live game show).
At the end of the shift, they wait for their colleague to come in and take over the table, which is when they announce that their shift is over, say goodbye to the punters, and leave. This marks the end of the workday for live game presenters.
How Can I Become a Live Game Presenter?
This is the main part of this article, but also the easiest question to answer. To become a live game presenter, you only need to apply!
If you are looking to join the iGaming live game niche as a presenter, you will first need to browse job offers from companies and casinos. We suggest heading directly to the official company websites to see whether they are hiring in the first place. You can also browse your local job offer market to see if there are any offers.
When you find an offer that sounds interesting, use the contact provided and submit a formal application, or send your CV. When the hiring process begins, try to prepare for the interview by learning more about the company and the games it offers – and if possible, a bit about each game in general. At the interview, don’t forget to ask questions that are important to you – candidates frequently forget to ask questions as they are used to answering them most of the time. But no – it’s an interview and it goes both ways, so ask what you have to ask when you have the opportunity!
Final Words
Being a live casino dealer is a dream for many players. The hosts, especially in the live casino sector, have a very entertaining job, and it’s not odd to see players deciding to go into the business and become game presenters.
The article whose end we are approaching talked about the careers of live game dealers, including talks of potential skill requirements, age restrictions, and previous experience needed to work as a game host. We’ve also discussed the types of games dealers typically host, and as you can see – there’s a lot to choose from! However, although you may think being a dealer is fun, it’s a very difficult job that requires concentration, dedication, and lots of hard work. Give your favourite dealers the appreciation the next time you see them because they deserve it!
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BestCasinos team consists of online casino experts dedicated to spreading their knowledge and experience to a wider audience, all in effort to help even the most inexperienced players gain their footing in this exciting industry.